Secondly, Toronto Canada DBMA Training Camp featuring Crafty Dog, Top Dog and Sled Dog Aug 21-23. Check out this thread for more details: Dog Brothers Forum Thread. This should be a great training opportunity, as you get to learn not from 1, not 2, but 3 original Dog Brothers! Sadly, I will not be able to attend. Taking wife and 3 kids to Disney World. Our first time.

it will be a full weekend of training with Crafty ,Sled , and Top Dogaccommodations and meals are included . there will be workshops you can attend as well from yoga to strength and conditioning space will be limited i will post additional information within the week if you have any further questions you can reach me at renecocolo@hotmail.com

Thirdly, the next Dog Brothers Gathering will be held September 20, 2009. Check out this thread for more details: Dog Brothers Forum Thread.

Amazing ALS in pencil, signed “Bruce,” three pages, 8.5 x 11, no date. Lee writes to Taky Kimura, his prize student and eventually one of only three Lee-certified instructors of Jeet Kun Do. In part: “First and foremost I like to impress a most important rule of teaching in your mind, and that is the economy of form. Follow this rule and you will NEVER feel like you have to ADD more and more so called sizzling techniques to keep our students interested. In order to explain ‘Economy of Form’ I’ll take a technique to illustrate the theory. Later on this idea can be applied to any technique. Together with the idea of ‘the Three Stages of a Technique [(1) synchronization of self, [2] synchronization with opponent [3] under fighting condition]. This program of teaching not only provide and endless routine of instruction, but a most efficient lesson plan that will bring result to all students. I’ve tested them here in L. A. and disregard how little we show each time…To illustrate the idea, I’ll take the Park Sao (slapping hand). Basically ‘Economy of Motion’ means all motions starts from the By-Jong position; secondly, Hands are to move first if it were hand technique [foot follows], feet first if it were foot techniques. So emphasize the above ‘Two Truths’ by practicing Park Sao fort in the touching hand manner…Each student must attack [in unison] from the By-Jong without any wasted motion. Now this has been overlooked basic theory of utmost importance. If any student does his Park Sao [or any technique for that matter] with wasted motion, back to the touching hand position he goes to minimize his unnecessary motion…I hope I have impressed in your mind a more important rule of our style-stick to the program I’ve given you, use variety, and do not worry too much that your students need more and more to stay with you-true if they can do perfectly all you’ve taught them. Remember the idea that one has to come in thousands of time in order to perfect one Judo throw. And of course use your own experience and imagination. You will do well. I have faith in you.”

The third page of Lee’s letter bears a detailed hand-written flow chart of combat strategy. At the top, Lee lists six important keys to “Combat,” which are “Timing,” “Distance,” “Speed & Rhythm,” “Initiative,” “Aggressiveness,” and “Choice of Attack.” Lee also lists three stages of combat “Attack,” “Counter-Attack,” and “Active Defense,” with other sub-categories underneath. A truly remarkable Lee letter, written to perhaps his greatest student, with a detailed explanation of his method, and a fighting flowchart in his hand, makes this an especially desirable letter. In fine condition, with mild handling wear and two deep central vertical creases to third page.

The name Gotch means a lot to wrestling, and instantly conjures up thoughts about the legendary turn-of-the-century exploits of the original World Wrestling Champion, Frank Gotch. However, unbeknownst to most contemporary wrestling fans, there was another man who wrestled under the name Gotch, a man who is considered by many to be nearly as important and deserving of history's praise as his more famous namesake. In Japan, Karl Gotch is held in as high esteem as Frank Gotch is in America. Likewise, his supreme wrestling skill is as legendary there as Frank Gotch's grappling techniques are here. The main difference, though, is that in Japan, both men are revered and respected, while in America, Karl Gotch is basically unknown by the vast majority of wrestling fans. Although he may not be as famous as many of the other Hall of Famers, Karl Gotch, a technical wizard and influential champion in the early history of Japanese wrestling, is every bit as deserving. Quite simply, he helped shape our sport into what it is today, despite the lack of notoriety in the U.S.

Karl Gotch was actually born Karl Istaz, in 1924 in Hamburg, Germany. He started his career in the mid-1950's, after being trained at "Snake Pit" Billy Riley's Gym in Britain, and he originally used the name Karl Krauser. As Karl Krauser, he won several tournaments throughout his native Europe during the first few yeas of his career. But in 1959, when he traveled to the booming world of American pro wrestling, he was greeted by a somewhat cold reception. Istaz was a shooter, not a performer, and as a result, he was often passed over by promoters who were looking to pack the house. Unable to do interviews (due to his accent, and mild mannerisms) that intrigued the TV wrestling audience, but more than able to wrestle circles around 90% of his competition, the highly talented Krauser was used primarily as a lower-card worker. His fellow wrestlers, who were higher up "the ladder" often ducked him, as they knew that Karl Istaz was a dangerous, highly skilled grappler. Not flashy, not flamboyant...but a man who could, and occasionally did, make performance-style wrestlers look highly incompetent whenever he wished.

In 1961, in an attempt to add to his persona, Istaz began wrestling under the name Karl Gotch (in honor of the late, great World champion) and slowly began rising up in the territorial ranks. Soon after changing his ring name to Gotch, Istaz finally began enjoying some well-deserved success. He won the AWA (Ohio) Heavyweight Title in September of 1962 by defeating Don Leo Jonathon, and held the then-prestigous championship for 2 full years before being defeated by the great Lou Thesz.

It was around this time that Gotch became involved in a series of real-life altercations with NWA World Heavyweight champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. Gotch claimed that a fearful Rogers was continually ducking his challenges. As the AWA (Ohio) champion, Gotch felt he was a legitimate NWA World Title contender, but Rogers continually refused to wrestle him. Rogers, on the other hand, felt Gotch (who was still far from being a "big draw") was simply trying to make a name for himself, at the expense of his own. "The Nature Boy" was not shy about telling Gotch, and anyone else backstage, what he thought about "the shooter". The animosity between the two eventually led to a locker room fist fight (which was initiated by Gotch) that saw "The Nature Boy" come out a beaten man. It also ended up alienating Gotch from even more promoters and fellow wrestlers.

Just prior to his altercation with Rogers, Gotch wrestled his first match in Japan, which turned out to be a 45-minute draw against established Japanese star Michiaki Yoshimura. Little did Gotch know that it would be in the land of the Rising Sun that he would achieve his greatest fame. So enamored with the talented and athletic Gotch were the Japanese, that he is, to this day, referred to as "The God of Pro Wrestling". In addition to the influence his unique technical style generated, Gotch help shape wrestling forever through the men he trained. Where would the business of pro wrestling in Japan be, had there not been men like Antonio Inoki, Tatsumi Fujinami, Hiro Matsuda, Osamu Kido, Satoru Sayama (the legendary Tiger Mask) and Yoshiaki Fujiwara? Gotch trained them all, and many others, and instilled in them the same appreciation of wrestling skill and technique that had made him such a star in Japan. However, in America, things for Gotch were quite different. Although he was considered by many to be the "Uncrowned Champion", Gotch had to struggle for each of the few titles he gained during his 30-year career. He teamed with "Iron" Mike Dibiase in 1967 to win the WWA World Tag Team title in Los Angeles, eventually losing the straps to Pedro Morales & Victor Rivera. His other major title victory was the WWWF World Tag Team championship, which he won with Rene Goulet on December 6, 1971. After being defeated by Baron Mikel Scicluna & King Curtis Iaukea just 3 months later, Gotch soon left the WWWF and returned to Japan for the remainder of his career.

His last major title was New Japan's "Real" World Heavyweight Title, which he won in 1972. He spent the next several years in Japan as a premier wrestler and trainer. One of the biggest stars the island nation had ever known, he wrestled his last match on January 1, 1982 when he defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara in Tokyo. Soon after, Gotch retired from the sport, in front of the fans that truly appreciated his talent. Through his talent, style, and influence, Karl Gotch established himself as one of the best wrestlers of his, or any, era. Despite his lack of fame and notoriety, he truly helped shape the sport into what it is today (especially in Japan) and was a genuine trend-setter, whose influence is still being felt to this day. With this in mind, The Ring Chronicle proudly inducts "The God of Pro Wrestling" Karl Gotch into TRC's Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame...

By DERRICK HENRYVernon Forrest, a former middleweight boxing champion also known for his charitable work, was shot and killed Saturday night in Atlanta. The police said that he had apparently been robbed and then exchanged gunfire with his assailant.

Forrest, 38, is the third prominent boxer to die this month. Arturo Gatti, a super featherweight and light welterweight, was found dead July 11 at a Brazilian resort. Alexis Argüello, a champion in the lightweight divisions, was found dead on July 1 at his home in Managua, Nicaragua. He had been elected mayor of Nicaragua’s capital last year.

Last September, Forrest reclaimed his World Boxing Council title at 154 pounds by beating Sergio Mora, an opponent 10 years younger. Forrest, who had a 41-3 career record with 29 knockouts, had been sidelined by injury and vacated his crown. In 2002, he twice defeated Shane Mosley and was named Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year.

Forrest, who lived in Atlanta, had stopped at a gas station on Whitehall Street in central part of the city to put air into the tires of his Jaguar when a man robbed him at gunpoint, the police said. Forrest, who also was armed, chased the man several hundred feet, toward a nearby intersection. The two exchanged gunfire, Atlanta Police Det. Lt. Keith Meadows told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Forrest suffered seven to eight shots to the back, the police said. Lt. Meadows said there was evidence that Forrest had used his weapon, but the police did not know if the assailant had been shot.

An 11-year-old boy who was in Forrest’s vehicle gave police a description of the assailant. The boy, the son of Forrest’s girlfriend, did not witness the shootings, the police said.

An autopsy was planned for Sunday, The Associated Press reported.

Forrest, a former W.B.C. super welterweight champion, was just as noted for his work outside the ring. In 1998, he started Destiny’s Child, a foundation for people with mental disabilities in Atlanta.

Forrest said he thought of starting the foundation after seeing an autistic child struggle to tie his shoes. “If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain’t that significant,” he said in a 2006 New York Times interview. “A light just turned on in my head.”

The foundation set up group homes in the Atlanta area.

“We teach mathematics and how to count money,” Forrest said in a 2003 Times interview. “We had this one 18-year-old boy to whom all money looked the same. He had trouble with quarters and nickels. Then one day, he said, ‘Uncle Vernon, I got it, I got it.’ ”

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

HONG KONG - Bruce Lee's older sister and younger brother have authorized a Chinese company to make a series of biographical films about the late kung fu icon, saying they want to produce a historically accurate account of their brother's life.

Phoebe Lee and Robert Lee appeared at a signing ceremony with J.A. Media in Beijing on Monday, 36 years to the day after Bruce Lee died in Hong Kong at age 32 from swelling of the brain.

Lee became a source of Chinese pride by portraying characters who defended the Chinese and the working class from oppressors in films like "Return of the Dragon."

It wasn't immediately clear who will play Lee in the film series.

Producer Manfred Wong said the company plans at least three installments, with the first to tackle Lee's teenage years, adding he wanted to focus more on the late actor's personality.

"There will be kung fu ... But more importantly, we want to portray the real Bruce Lee. What is the real Bruce Lee like? He was very humorous. He was very obedient to his parents. He was very kind to his family," Wong said, according to footage of the ceremony on the Chinese news Web site Sina.com .

Robert Lee said he wanted to give an authoritative account of his brother's life.

"We've read many books and seen many movies about Bruce Lee, but there are many inaccuracies in them. They made up things," he said, without referring to specific works or factual mistakes.

"I'm more than 70 years old. I'm old. I want do something for my younger brother — to promote Bruce Lee's life story," Phoebe Lee said.

Most recently, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired a 50-part prime-time series about Lee last year.

Wong did not say how much the movies will cost. Calls to the company Tuesday seeking more detail went unanswered.

Reports of the death of early UFC star Kimo Leopoldo appear to have been premature. Leopoldo’s attorney, Victor E. Hobbs, told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports that “Kimo has surfaced and that’s all I know right now.”

He referred all questions to Leopoldo’s manager, Ron Kort. Kort’s voice mailbox was full and could not accept messages, said the Yahoo! report.

Leopoldo, who became an overnight mixed-martial-arts sensation following his appearance at UFC 3 in 1994, was reported dead Tuesday by numerous websites, including TMZ, the New York Daily News and Orange County Register.

Leopoldo, known simply as Kimo in the MMA world, debuted with Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 3 against UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie. That night, the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder entered the ring with a massive cross on his back and pushed Gracie — then, a two-time UFC tournament champion — to the point of exhaustion before eventually submitting. Gracie could not continue in the tournament, however, due to the damage from his match with Kimo.

Kimo fought four more times for UFC: a loss at UFC 8 in 1996 to Ken Shamrock; a loss to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka via decision at UFC 16 in 1997; a win over Tank Abbott at UFC 43 in 2003; and another loss to Shamrock at UFC 48 in 2004.

His career MMA record is 10-7-1.

In July 2006, Leopoldo was scheduled to fight ex-UFC heavyweight champ Bas Rutten but tested positive for steroids in the days leading up to the match. He had also tested positive for steroids following his UFC 48 match versus Shamrock.

Earlier this year, Leopoldo was charged with possession of a controlled substance in Long Beach, California.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

In an interview with MMAMemories.com on March 26, 2008, Buffer stated, "let’s call it the 'Buffer 180°'." Buffer peforms 45° and 90° turn before most fights, and but reserves the "Buffer 180°" for main events and co-main events. At UFC 100, Buffer performed a "Buffer 360°".

Joe Rogan posted about UFC 100 and the Buffer 360 and put up these 2 vidclips:

Monday, July 13, 2009

Chad, a member on the Dog Brothers forum, formed a UFC Fantasy League called ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN. My first time 'betting' on this type of thing. I chalk it up to beginner's luck more than anything.

Also some of the fighters I didn't know, I just copied my friend Ausgepicht's picks. Of the 4 fights which I did know the fighters, I was wrong on Coleman vs Bonnar. I'm a Coleman fan from back in da day, and after the Shogun fight, felt Coleman should retire. Thought he would gas and that would allow Bonnar to win by sub. Coleman showed a lot of heart in his fight against Shogun and in UFC 100, he showed me he can still fight as witness his unanimous decision over Bonnar.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Updated: July 11, 2009, 8:59 PM ETFoul play suspected in Gatti's death

Arturo Gatti Found Dead At Age 37

SAO PAULO -- Former boxing champion Arturo Gatti, one of the most exciting fighters of his generation, was found dead in a hotel room in the posh seaside resort of Porto de Galihnas early Saturday.

Police investigator Edilson Alves told The Associated Press that the body of the former junior welterweight champ was discovered in his hotel room at the tourist resort, where Gatti had arrived on Friday with his Brazilian wife Amanda and 1-year-old son.

Alves said police were investigating and it was unclear how the 37-year-old Canadian died. Foul play is suspected in the death, the CBC reported.

"It is still too early to say anything concrete, although it is all very strange," Alves said.

A spokeswoman for the state public safety department said Gatti's wife and son were unhurt. The women declined to give a name in keeping with department policy.

"There were no bullet or stab wounds on his body, but police did find blood stains on the floor," she said.

Brazilian boxer and four-time world champion Acelino "Popo" Freitas told the G1 Web site of Brazil's largest television network Globo that he was a close friend of Gatti and his wife, and that he "knew they were having some sort of problem and were about to separate, but I didn't know they were in Brazil."

Francisco Assis, a local police investigator, told G1 that Gatti could have died up to eight hours before his body was found early Saturday.

Gatti (40-9, 31 KOs), nicknamed "Thunder", was best known for his all-action style, which was epitomized in his classic trilogy with Micky Ward in 2002 and 2003.

It's why Gatti was a fixture at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., where he drew huge crowds and fought many times, including the final nine fights of his career.

"His entire boxing career he fought with us, we've known him since he was 17," Kathy Duva of promoter Main Events told The Associated Press. "It's just an unspeakable tragedy. I can't even find words. It's a horror."

He won two world titles in his 16-year pro career. In 1995, he won his first one, outpointing Tracy Harris Patterson to claim the IBF junior lightweight title.

In his first fight after the Ward trilogy -- which Gatti won 2-1 -- he captured a world title in his second division, outpointing Gianluca Branco for the vacant WBC junior welterweight title in January 2004.

Gatti made two defenses before losing the title to Floyd Mayweather Jr. via sixth-round TKO in June 2005. He returned to defeat Thomas Damgaard but lost his final two bouts, a ninth-round TKO in a challenge to then-welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir in July 2006 followed by a one-sided beating from former "Contender" star Alfonso Gomez in July 2007.

In the dressing room following the seventh-round knockout loss to Gomez, Gatti announced his retirement.

Referee Randy Neumann said it was tough for him to end that fight, simply because of Gatti's incredible ability to come back in fights.

"I couldn't stop that fight, simply because he was Arturo Gatti," Neumann said. "He was much more dignified to go out that way. He had to be counted out. When he fought, you never knew if he could come back. He looked beaten and still came back."

With that loss, Gatti acknowledged the end of all his travails and triumphs.

"I remember walking away from his last fight, and somebody walked up to him in the casino late at night and congratulated him," Duva said. "And he said, 'Why did he congratulate me?' And I said, 'He was excited to meet you.' And he kind of looked very surprised by that.

"He had no idea what an icon he was or how much he meant to people."

More than his titles, Gatti will be remembered for the slugfests. He was half of the Ring magazine fight of the year four times for two the Ward fights as well as his 1997 fifth-round knockout of Gabriel Ruelas to retain the junior lightweight title and a 1998 decision loss to Ivan Robinson.

Gatti had two memorable battles with Robinson as well as dramatic fights with Wilson Rodriguez, Angel Manfredy and Calvin Grove -- all before the trilogy with Ward that defined his career.

Gatti was a staple of HBO's boxing broadcasts, appearing on the network 21 times.

"HBO Sports is tremendously saddened by the passing of Arturo Gatti," HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said. "He was one of the legendary warriors in boxing, and his three epic battles with Micky Ward will live on in the sport's rich history. All of us at HBO Sports will miss his warm and friendly presence, and our deepest sympathy goes out to his manager Pat Lynch, promoter Main Events, led by Kathy Duva, and the entire Arturo Gatti family. Boxing has lost a great and humble man."

Gatti had been working in real estate in Montreal following his retirement, but still attended fights, as he did in April for the Timothy Bradley-Kendall Holt junior welterweight unification bout at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

ESPN.com boxing writer Dan Rafael and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Legendary former world champion Arturo Gatti, 37, has reportedly been found dead inside a beachside flat he was renting at the Hotel Dorisol of Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco, Brazil. He was found by his wife early Saturday with a head injury. Gatti had arrived with his wife and baby on Friday on their honeymoon. Local police consider his death suspicious.

FEG's Sadaharu Tanikawa, K-1 Event Producer, announced today that an official K-1 Channel has been created on YouTube, the video sharing site with over 2 billion users.

*Now the world can enjoy K-1!

Built on the motto "From Japan to the World", the world's largest martial arts extravaganza "K-1" is now in its 16th year. Starting with a modest number of domestic fans back in 1993, K-1 events now boasts viewership in 135 countries. FEG, producers of the events, now wish to reach a broader audience and let them get know more about K-1 past and present. The first big step is opening the YouTube K-1 Channel (YouTube - Kanaal van K1). Not only will anyone be able to see K-1 events anywhere at any time, with the subtitle translation tools available, they'll be able to follow the commentary as well.

When the YouTube K-1 Channel opens on Thursday, July 9th, K-1 will be more accessible than ever. Content will include:

1. K-1 Archives = All the events from the very first one in 1993 to today in High Definition

2. Pre-fight Interviews = Pre-fight interviews capture the tension and excitement of the fighters before they step into the ring

3. Press Conference Footage = See the fighters face to face, sometimes for the first time, at the official press conferences

4. Post-fight Interviews = The elation of the winners, the disappointment of the winners, all captured in the post-fight interviews.

Bonus material:

1. Each video will come with comments and narration fully subtitled. YouTube's auto-translation tools will make the subtitles globally accessible.

2. K-1's official site will also carry the videos with extra content that will be constantly updated.

In Japan, K-1 is the first to enter into such a ground-breaking partnership with YouTube and the YouTube K-1 Channel, with archived K-1 events, interviews, press conferences, and also never-before-seen official content such as looks into the fighters lives, should give martial arts fans what they've always wanted - full access to the greatest martial arts show on Earth.

Brock Lesnar - Thinking his training under Erik Paulson (or was it Greg Nelson?) will do him good. Don't think Mir will get an easy sub this time and Mir won't escape Brock's g&p.

GSP - Until he loses, think GSP is on the top of his game. Hard to beat now. Although apparently he has a swollen elbow or something which may or may not affect his performance.

Dan Henderson - I want and think Hendo wins, but part of me remembers how he eeked out a win against Rich 'Ace' Franklin and lost to who was it? Rousimar Palhares (sp?) ... his better fights may be behind him.

Stephan Bonnar - Think Bonnar will pull off a sub after Coleman gasses... I like Coleman from back in da day, but feel he should probably retire.

Tomorrow night will be a special night... the 100th UFC event... 16 years! I remember when I watched the first UFC, I couldn't sleep that night, I was so hyped up on the sheer adrenaline of watching martial artists test their disciplines against other disciplines.

The UFC Ultimate 100 kicked off last night with the first 25 fights as voted on by you, the fans. Starting the countdown with Paul Kelly vs. Paul Taylor, I was a bit surprised that this one didn't end up higher on the list, but as we pushed forward and relived fights like Hughes-Gracie, Penn-Uno and Liddell-White, it started to put things in perspective. Since 1993, there have been a lot of epic battles and if this countdown -as we approach UFC 100- doesn't get you amped up, then you might want to check your pulse and coordination skills because you could be a zombie regenerated from a human corpse on a mission to take over the planet.

Standing out among the first 25 for me has to be Serra vs. GSP I. Like every red-blooded American, I love the underdog/upset combo and so close to July 4, this one might have had a little extra spicy mustard.

"When I had George in trouble, I stayed calm and I picked my shots and I chose where to hit him and it worked out great," Serra recalled. It sure did work out great, for Serra and for all of us who got to witness one of the greatest upsets in mixed martial arts history.

GSP's response, however, is almost as inspiring, "I just tried to survive and get out. I tried to still exchange with him even though I couldn't stand on my feet. I was very dizzy," he told the camera, looking back. "And I learned from my mistake," he said with a crooked grin across his face. It's this attitude and insight that makes him so great and in turn what made Serra's victory so great.

Of course, GSP eventually avenged his loss to Serra and has yet to drop another bout since, some of which will appear later in this countdown among other classics like Gracie vs. Gordeau Evans vs. Liddell, Mir vs. Nogueira and the monumental Lesnar vs. Couture -all to be seen in the very next installment Monday night at 9.

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Alexis Arguello is shown here after winning the lightweight championship in 1981, his third title in three different weight classes. (Getty Images)

Hall of Fame boxer found dead; reports cite suicideAssociated Press

Updated: July 2, 2009, 8:34 AM EDT

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Alexis Arguello, who fought in one of boxing's most classic brawls and reigned supreme at 130 pounds, was found dead at his home early Wednesday.

Coroners were conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Sandanista Party's Radio Ya and other local media were reporting it appeared to be a suicide.The La Prensa newspaper reported that Arguello — elected mayor of Nicaragua's capital last year — was found with a gunshot wound to the chest.

The 57-year-old Arguello retired from boxing in 1995 with a record of 82-8 with 65 knockouts and was a champion in three weight divisions. He was perhaps best known for two thrilling battles with Aaron Pryor and fights with Ray Mancini, Bobby Chacon and Ruben Olivares.

"I'm kind of in a daze right now. I can't believe what I'm hearing," Pryor told The Associated Press. "Those were great fights we had. This was a great champion."

Nicknamed "The Explosive Thin Man," Arguello was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, where flags were flying at half-staff in his honor on Wednesday.

In 1999, a panel of experts assembled by The AP voted Arguello the best junior lightweight and sixth-best lightweight of the 20th century. He never lost at 130 pounds, and his popularity in his own country was so great that he carried the flag for Nicaragua at the Beijing Olympics.

"Not only was he one of the greatest fighters I've ever seen, he was the most intelligent fighter," Bob Arum, who promoted some of his biggest fights, told The Associated Press. "He was a ring tactician. Every move was thought out. And he was a wonderful, wonderful person."

Arguello turned pro in 1968 and promptly lost his first bout. He didn't lose much more, and six years later knocked out Olivares in the 13th round to win the world featherweight title.

Arguello went on to win the super featherweight and lightweight titles, his 5-foot-10 frame allowing him to move up in weight without losing his tremendous punching power. At the time, he was only the sixth boxer to win championships in three weight classes, and was considered for a while the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Panama's Roberto Duran, another world champion at three weights, expressed disbelief.

"I can't believe it. He was my friend, my brother," Duran said. "His death is a great loss for world boxing and a much greater loss for Nicaragua."

The retired Oscar De La Hoya said: "I felt sad receiving the news and still find it hard to believe. Alexis was my idol. When I was young, I heard so much about him and his fights and loved his style in the ring. In my opinion he was one of the biggest and most influential fighters boxing has ever produced."

De La Hoya said Arguello attended his fight against Steve Forbes in May 2008, which was De La Hoya's last victory.

"We shared some great moments together before and after the fight," he said. "Arguello was definitely a legend in the boxing world because of all the joy he brought to his fans with his unforgettable career and amazing personality."

Arguello moved up in weight again in November 1982 to challenge Pryor for the 140-pound belt, a match billed as "Battle of the Champions." More than 23,000 fans packed the Orange Bowl in Miami, and the two waged an epic battle before Pryor knocked out Arguello in the 14th round.

"It was a brutal, brutal fight," Arum said. "That was something I will never, ever forget as long as I live. That was one of the most memorable fights I ever did."

The bout was named "Fight of the Year" and "Fight of the Decade" by Ring Magazine, but was shrouded by controversy. Pryor's trainer, Panama Lewis, gave him a water bottle after the 13th round that many believe contained an illegal substance - an accusation Pryor denied.

A rematch was ordered and they met again a year later at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. This time, Pryor knocked out Arguello in the 10th round.

"We always talk to each other about that first fight," Pryor said. "I never went into the fight knowing I could beat Alexis, I just went into the fight to beat Alexis."

Arguello announced after the fight that he would retire from boxing, but as so often happens in the sport, Arguello couldn't stay away from the ring.

He returned to win two fights in 1985 and 1986, then didn't step in the ring until 1994, when he made a brief comeback. He retired for good the following year.

"Alexis Arguello was a first-class fighter and a first-class gentleman," said Hall of Fame executive director Edward Brophy. "The Hall of Fame joins the boxing community in mourning the loss of a great champion and friend."

Arguello fought against the Sandinista government in the 1980s after it seized his property and bank account, but later joined the party and ran for mayor of the capital last November. He defeated Eduardo Montealegre, though opponents alleged the vote was fraudulent.

Arguello had returned Sunday from Puerto Rico, where he honored the late baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. His death prompted Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega to announced he was canceling a trip to Panama for the inauguration of President-elect Ricardo Martinelli.

"We are upset," presidential spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said. "This is a heartbreaking announcement. He was the champion of the poor, an example of forgiveness and reconciliation."

Site Under Construction

Slowly but surely I've implemented changes to the site's look and functionality. I'm sure you have noticed the changes.Ecstatic that I've finally been able to successfully update my site closer more in line with my vision of it.

Not sure if it will be the final look of the site or not, but the Sojourn of Septillion Steps with respect to the site's look has already taken quite a few steps beyond the first!

I will still be endeavoring to put up information I think will benefit your martial arts training as well as your self-defense. I sincerely thank you for visiting/reading!